NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott had played through his calf injury before, along with other injuries this season. He was planning to do it again until the injury worsened before Dallas’ game against the 49ers. 

“Honestly, I hadn’t been feeling the best all week, but on game days I’ve been able to go normally,” Elliott said via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “At first, I was feeling good. But yesterday I felt a tug. And that’s something I can’t really play with. I can play with pain and soreness, but with a tug, I can’t be as explosive as I need to be.”

However, Elliott doesn’t plan on shutting himself down for the year even though Dallas is unlikely to win even the NFC East. 

“Oh no, I’m not shutting it down,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes, and I’ll see if I can get out there next week.”

• Cowboys WR Michael Gallup avoided a more serious injury despite exiting Sunday’s game with a hip pointer. He has not been ruled out for this week against the Eagles. (Michael Gehlken)
• Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch also has not been ruled out yet despite suffering a high ankle sprain. His status will be monitored this week. (Gehlken)
• Dallas will likely place CB Chris Westry on the practice squad IR with a PCL strain. The Cowboys will work out CBs Kemon Hall and Simeon Thomas this week. (Gehlken)

Eagles

• Per the Athletic’s Zach Berman, Eagles HC Doug Pederson confirmed second-round QB Jalen Hurts would remain the starter against the Cowboys, as expected: “I’m going to have Jalen continue to start this week. I’m focused on this week and this week right now. I want to see how our team and he responds after a tough loss. So Jalen will be the starter this week.”

Washington

• According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, former Panthers GM Marty Hurney is a candidate for Washington’s general manager vacancy to reunite with HC Ron Rivera.
• However, Rivera didn’t really want to directly address that speculation until after the season: “I’m not going to talk about our GM situation. All that stuff, all that personnel stuff, is going to be addressed after the season is over. We’re focusing in on the playoff run right here.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• Rivera will play his old team for the first time this week but he downplayed the game: “If this had been our opener, it would be a highly emotional game. It’s not. To me the consequences this game is about this team, this organization, trying to be relevant and take a step forward.” (John Keim)
• New Washington LB Mychal Kendricks will fly via private jet from Seattle to bypass the six-day COVID-19 entry protocols and be immediately available. (Nicki Jhabvala)